Switch assembly and methods of use

Abstract

Various implementations include a switch assembly that includes a housing and at least two printed circuit boards (PCBs) that are disposed within the housing and are axially arranged relative to each other. One or more force sensors are disposed on one of the PCBs, and, in some implementations, the one or more force sensors receive force input received by a touch overlay plate. Signals from the force sensors are processed to determine a magnitude, acceleration, and/or location of the force input, and a haptic feedback response is received by the touch overlay plate. The haptic feedback response is based on the force magnitude, acceleration, and/or location of input, according to some implementations. Axially arranging the PCBs reduces the footprint of the switch assembly and allows for the inclusion of more electrical components in the switch assembly, according to some implementations.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A switch assembly comprising:
 a housing having one or more walls that define a chamber;   a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed within the chamber, the PCB having a first surface that faces in a first axial direction and a second surface that faces in a second axial direction, the second axial direction being opposite from the first axial direction, the PCB comprising a force sensor disposed on the second surface;   a light guide disposed within the chamber, the light guide having a first surface that faces in the first axial direction and a second surface that faces in the second axial direction, the first surface facing the force sensor;   a touch overlay plate comprising a first surface that faces in the first axial direction and a second surface that faces in the second axial direction, the first surface facing the second surface of the light guide; and   a force concentrator disposed between the force sensor and the first surface of the light guide;   wherein the touch overlay plate passes a touch force incident on the second surface of the touch overlay plate through the light guide and the force concentrator to the force sensor;   wherein the touch overlay plate is coupled to the light guide;   wherein the light guide defines two or more protrusions extending away from the second surface of the light guide in the second axial direction, wherein the touch overlay plate defines two or more recessed portions that extend into the first surface of the touch overlay plate, and wherein the two or more protrusions extend into the two or more recessed portions to couple the touch overlay plate to the light guide.   
     
     
         2 . The switch assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a flexible membrane disposed between the light guide and the touch overlay plate, the flexible membrane comprising a first surface that faces in the first axial direction and a second surface that faces in the second axial direction, the first surface facing the second surface of the touch overlay plate. 
     
     
         3 . The switch assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible membrane defines openings through which the two or more protrusions extend. 
     
     
         4 . The switch assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the first surface of the flexible membrane is coupled to the second surface of the touch overlay plate. 
     
     
         5 . The switch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the PCB comprises a plurality of force sensors disposed on the second surface of the PCB. 
     
     
         6 . The switch assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of force concentrators, one for each force sensor of the plurality of force sensors. 
     
     
         7 . The switch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the force concentrator is formed separately from the light guide. 
     
     
         8 . The switch assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one light source disposed on the second surface of the PCB. 
     
     
         9 . The switch assembly of  claim 8 , wherein light from the at least one light source enters the light guide from the first surface of the light guide. 
     
     
         10 . The switch assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one light source comprises one or more light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         11 . The switch assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one light source comprises one or more light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         12 . The switch assembly of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the touch overlay plate is transparent or translucent and the light exits the second surface of the light guide and is directed through the first surface of the touch overlay plate to illuminate the second surface of the touch overlay plate to create an illuminated portion of the touch overlay plate. 
     
     
         13 . The switch assembly of  claim 12 , wherein one or more icons are disposed on the touch overlay plate and the light illuminates the one or more icons in an area of the illuminated portion. 
     
     
         14 . The switch assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more icons are provided on a sheet that is adhesively coupled to the touch overlay plate. 
     
     
         15 . The switch assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a haptic exciter comprising an output surface. 
     
     
         16 . The switch assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the output surface faces in the second axial direction. 
     
     
         17 . The switch assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the haptic exciter is disposed adjacent the first surface of the light guide. 
     
     
         18 . The switch assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the haptic exciter is coupled to the first surface of the light guide.